Community events

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Community events promote and share the positive experiences, stories and perspectives of whānau Māori and communities across Aotearoa.

They also showcase the talent within communities and encourage whānau to engage with and demonstrate how they are living the six E Tū Whānau values that support whānau to be safe and strong.

Te mana kaha o te whānau!

E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025

Graphic for E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025, on the right of which is the phrase Ko wai au? Who am I? This was one of the community events run in 2025.

The poster competition was hugely popular, with nearly 500 entries across three categories.

The theme of this community event was Ko wai au? Who am I? and entries were judged by Miriama Grace-Smith, Kahurangi Falaoa and Stu McDonald.

E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025 was run by Māori Media Network in conjunction with Māori radio and E Tū Whānau.

19 years and over category winners

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This image is of the poster by Jayda Siyakurima, one of the winners of the E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025 (19 years and over category). It depicts an African woman, who looks regal, and is wearing a black and white korowai, a blue headband and wooden earrings. A fantail bird perches on the blue headband, and another on her shoulder. A green tiki hangs at her neck. the poster competition is one of the many commmunity events run by E Tū Whānau.

First place – Jayda Siyakurima

“I am a creator of art, stories, and life, blending the beauty of my Māori and Zimbabwean whakapapa. Like the korowai woven with the wisdom of our tūpuna, my work reflects connection and legacy.

The beauty of a woman of colour is both judged and admired. As a mother who still mourns the loss of my twin babies, two fantails visit me often – a constant reminder that their spirit remains with me.I also chose the tiki because it embodies creation and protection, as my story continues with my two-year-old daughter and pēpī on the way.”

Explaining what this poster is about, the artist said: "My artwork reflects identity through both Cook Islands culture and motherhood. I have the Cook Islands flag and patterns set as the background. The head piece starting from the black and red Kiriau represeRnts the village I am from, Vaka Puaikura. The dried up woven pandanus leaf and green maire leaves represent one of the 15 islands I am from - Mitiaro. The white kiriau like flower with the black seeds (Pata apuka) in the middle is the old traditional decorated costume used in the 1900s and is still used today, whereas the flared out white rito like feathers at the top represent the common decorated costume we use nowadays - A full representation of the theme this year for Cook Islands language week. The acrylic, monochromatic, self-portrait with the pearl tears dripping down to my two kids represents the beauty and struggles of being a nurturing mother. Green coconut (Nu) is my youngest daughter, and the brown coconut (Akari) is my oldest son. Manihiki Henua is well known for their gorgeous pearls and rito and my kids are part Manihikian on my partners side, which is why I chose these special traditional items that represent them." It came second in the 19 Years and over category of the 2025 poster competition - one the community events run by E Tū Whānau.
Second place – Raera Apera
An image of the poster by Louis Smith that came third in the 19 Years and over category of the 2025 poster competition - one the community events run by E Tū Whānau. It symbolically depicts the green land with a blue river flowing through it over which a man gazes. A yellow sun shines over all with the words "Tangata whenua" visible in the sun's rays.
Third place – Louis Smith
An image of River Day's Highly Commended entry in the 19 Years and over category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It is a sepia and black image of teenage boy "peeling" the skin from above his eye and down towards his cheek. His brain area is just dark.
Highly commended – River Day
An image of Amber Adam's Highly Commended entry in the 19 Years and over category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. Brightly coloured, it depicts a woman's face surrounded by flowers, birds, the sea and bright patterns.
Highly commended – Amber Adams
An image of Andrew Strickland's Highly Commended entry in the 19 Years and over category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It is of a man pictured side on from the waist up. The space of his body and head are filled with coloured pictures of children on a beach, mountains, pounamu tiki and palm trees at sunset.
Highly commended – Andrew Strickland

13 to 18 years category winners

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This image is of the poster by James Davis, one of the winners of the E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025 (13 to 18 years category). It depicts a teenage boy dresses in a gray t-shirt. His arms are crossed in front of him. From behind, lurking out of the darkness, a hand with outstretched fingers grasps the top of his head.

First place – James Davis

“My poster answers the question symbolically of Who am I? This self-portrait portrays me being created.

The hand on top of my head represents the creation of who I am and the surroundings that have moulded me into the person I am today.My choice of having the black background symbolises the opportunities I will have and who I will be in the future – it’s a blank canvas and the darkness makes it so unknown.”

An image of Riley Tohiariki-Silbery's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It is of a two women - one younger and other older. The older woman is looking at a phone and her image is stronger. The older woman, whose image is more faded but larger, is wearing a korowai and pounamu tiki about her neck. The following words are written on the poster: Ko wai au? Ko Aroreretini ahau. ADHD? Kao. Attention goes to many things. A gift. A taonga.
Second place – Riley Tohiariki-Silbery
An image of Frankie Philpott's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a young woman, who is faced away, wearing a stripped red and white top, knee-length dark skirt and blue socks. Her hand holds a phone that seems to be taking a photo of the viewer. The young woman is looking into a blue vortex in the centre of which are the numbers 16 and 18, money, a dog's head and other small hard-to-discern items.
Third place – Frankie Philpott
An image of Bailey Harrison's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a male figure who is looking away form the viewer and wearing a grey hoodie, the back of which says "I'm ok". The figure is in front of a a heavily graffitied wall.
Highly commended – Bailey Harrison
An image of Bailey Harrison's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts lots of coloured pencils images of various things, including an ancient Indigenous warrior, several men in modern, western clothing, birds and women dancing.
Highly commended – Walter Guzman
An image of Kimiora Puata's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts three wāhine Māori beneath a blue sky who appear to be singing. They are dressed as for kapa haka. In font of them is whare nui..
Highly commended – Kimiora Puata
An image of Kimiora Puata's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts an angular pink coloured shape over which are black line drawings. These include images of a heart, arteries, a skull, a human rib cage, camera film, a brain and the moon.
Highly commended – Emily Andrews
An image of Nina Chiang's Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. IN pastel colours, it depicts a young woman's head in profile, surrounded by pastel blue hair and plant foliage. Near her, a hand holds large red, pink and white flowers.
Highly commended – Nina Chiang
An image of Jacob Innes' Highly Commended entry in the 13 to 18 years category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. A black line drawing of a young man's face is shown against a grey background. His hair is mid-length and above him are the black words Ko wai au? The young man's eyes are depicted by two red crosses.
Highly commended – Jacob Innes

12 years and under category winners

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This image is of the poster by Sam Kepa, one of the winners of the E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025 (12 years and under category). Brightly coloured, against an orange and red background, it depicts silhouette representations of a sailing boat, a man fishing, a tino rangatira flag and wharenui. Across the bottom, blue waves break. Along the top, also in blue, are the words "Ko wai au".

First place – Sam Kepa

“My poster, “Ko wai au,” is about all the things I like. Fishing, waka hourua, the stars, the marae, Mauao and Tauranga Moana. I’m proud to be Māori.
For the background, I used a red spray paint first then I used an orange paint for the sunrise. I drew Mauao using a green paint pen, and a black paint pen for the silhouette images. The blue paint represents Tauranga Moana.”

An image of Mosese' Inoke's second place entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a hand drawn man with a beard and yellow clothing on. His right hand is raised, as if about to shake hands with someone else.
Second place – Mosese Inoke
An image of Mila Madhu's third place entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a blue linear kōwhaiwhai pattern against a light brown background. Next to the image of the pattern, it says: Ko wai au? Acrylic paint on MDF board.
Third place – Mila Madhu
An image of Iva Ley-Smiler's Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a whare nui under a starry night sky and moon. Whānau wearring korowai are looking across green space to the wharenui.
Highly commended – Iva Ley-Smiler
An image of Manseeret Kaur's Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts a small picture of Manseerat and the flags of India and New Zealand, along with images of watermelon, flowers, donuts and a fern leaf. Manseerat's pepehā is written in the centre of the poster
Highly commended – Manseerat Kaur
An image of Amokura Kipa's Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. A black and white image of a young girl is overlaid with text that says: Ko wai au? Ko au te taura here o te ao tawhito me te ao hou.
Highly commended – Amokura Kipa
An image of Hinewaiapu-Taumaunu-Boyd's Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It shows his face, as well as pictures of his whānau, friends and family - including some of them with him in hospital. Other pictures are of Hinewaiapu playing football and in other place, including in hospital. Text in the centre explains that he lives with Bronchiectasis - a chronic lung condition.
Highly commended – Hinewaiapu Taumaunu Boyd
An image of Pia Tua's Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. It depicts te Tino rangatira flag on top of which are the words: Ko Pia ahau. Ko tēnei toku whakapapa.
Highly commended – Pia Tua
An image of Mason Jones' Highly commended entry in the 9 years and under category of the poster competition - one of the community events run by E Tū Whānau in 2025. Against a lurid green and yellow, it depicts a solid black profile of a boy. He is surrounded by back images of a kiwi, football, hockey stick, hearts, a mountain, a tree, a koru, a cricket bat, New Zealand, a tiki and a basket ball.
Highly commended – Mason Jones

People’s choice winner

Click on the image below to enlarge the view.

This image is of the poster by Mikaere Wikotu, one of the winners of the E Tū Whānau Poster Competition 2025 (People's Choice Award). Brightly coloured in red, yellow, green blue and gray, it depicts a fenced raod running between vegetated hills under a blue sky.

Mikaere Wikotu

Mikaere’s artwork reflects the world as seen through the eyes of a non-verbal autistic child. Through colours, shapes, and patterns, he communicates his unique way of experiencing life beyond words. His art is his voice, showing how he connects with the world: visually, deeply, and authentically. It speaks to who he is as a thoughtful observer with a rich inner world.
Ko wai au? I see differently. I feel deeply. This is me.

E Tū Whānau Song Competition 2024

This banner graphic reads: E Tū Whānau Song Competition 2024 "My whānau my future." It also shows two logos. On the left is the E Tū Whānau logo, name, and tagline saying "Te mana kaha o te whānau." On the right is the the Māori Media Network conch shell shaped graphic and tagline which reads "Te Honongo Whakapaoho Māori Māori Media Network."

The winners

Open Category

  • 1st – Hine me te rā by Anatipa Te Hā o Hinehopu (Rongomaiwahine, Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa, Ngāi te Rangi) of Nūhaka. Kaitautoko – Tārei Hāpuku, Taisha Tari. Audio Engineer Christian Mausia.
  • 2nd – Poipoia te kākano by Tōmuri Spicer (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa) of St Kilda, Dunedin.
  • 3rd – I pray by Ngatai Waretini (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāpuhi) of Poroporo.
  • Highly Commended  – A father’s love by Kahu Turner-Houkamau (Ngāti Porou) of Rotorua.
  • Highly Commended – Kia tata iho mai rā by Rāwiri Gilgen (Tainui, Waikato) of Tokomaru Bay.

Rangatahi Category     

  • 1st – Ka ao ka awatea (Things get better) by Tyree Wall (Ngāti Tutemohuta, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) of Richmond Heights, Taupō.
  • 2nd – Kāinga by Te Kani a Takirau Porter (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Porou) of Gisborne.
  • 3rd – Ngā piki ngā heke by Waiariki Gear (Ngāti Awa) of Te Puna, Bay of Plenty. Performed, written and composed by Te Whei Ao Harris, Tuara Rahiri, Waiariki Gear, Maria Williams.
  • Highly Commended – Nōku te ki, nōku te ao by Karly-Jewel and Rawinia Gordon (Ngāriki Kaiputahi, Ngāti Uepōhatu) of Elgin, Gisborne.
  • Highly Commended – Hinepukohurangi by Te Aniwaniwa Hori-Temara (Tūhoe) of Lower Hutt, Wellington. Composed by Snow Chase.

People’s Choice Award

  • Soldier on by by Devonjay Eke (Tonga) of Otara, Auckland.
View all entries in the 2024 competition gallery

The E Tū Whānau Song Competition 2024 was judged by renowned, award-winning musicians Maisey Rika, Pere Wihongi, and Tawaroa Kawana.

As with previous community events, this year’s competition was run by Māori Media Network in conjunction with iwi radio and E Tū Whānau.

Having run many community events over the years, we ran our first-ever Spoken Word Competition between July and August 2021. It was an online event hosted by the legendary spoken word poet and performer, Te Kahu Rolleston (Ngāi Te Rangi). All the entrants showed creativity and courage, with powerful, thoughtful messages to share, many of which related to our values. You can view the winning entries, and a selection of other videos rated highly by the judges below.

Rangatahi category (18 years and under)

Open category (19 years and over)

People’s Choice Award

Other great spoken word competition videos